In a conventional protection element, a grounded-gate MOSFET (GGMOS) is connected in parallel to a MOSFET used as a switching element for supplying an electric power to a load, so as to protect the MOSFET by the GGMOS. In the protection circuit, since the GGMOS connected in parallel to the MOSFET breaks through before the MOSFET, a surge current can be restricted from flowing through the MOSFET by allowing the surge current to flow to the GGMOS, and the MOSFET can be restricted from breakdown.